Consumables

A Consumable is any physical packing material your operation stocks and uses to fulfill orders -- boxes, mailers, tape, void fill, labels, and the forms and equipment that go alongside them. ShipGenius keeps a catalog of these materials so you can classify what you stock, record where you buy it, and connect specific materials to the items that require them at packout.

A Consumable is an extension of an Item -- the same record type ShipGenius uses for the products you sell. Marking an Item as a Consumable layers packing-material metadata (its category and vendor details) on top of everything an Item already is. That relationship is the whole point: because a consumable is an Item, it lives in the same catalog as your products and behaves like any other SKU.

Why Consumables Are Items

Modeling packing materials as Items -- rather than a separate side list -- is deliberate. It gives your boxes, mailers, bags, and other materials the same first-class treatment as the products you ship, which unlocks two things:

• Filtering and organization -- you can narrow your catalog down to a specific material type, such as just your carton types, using the same search and filter tools you use for products.
• Consumption and reorder tracking -- because a consumable carries inventory metadata as an Item, your warehouse's usage of each material can be measured with the same SKU metrics you would apply to any product (for example, how quickly a material is consumed), so you can plan reorder counts and frequency around real consumption rather than guesswork.

Consumables are attached to the products that use them through Item Consumable Requirements, so consuming a material is tied to the orders that draw it down. See Connecting Consumables to Items below.

Where Consumables Are Managed

Consumables are managed at the account level in the Consumables section. Creating a new Consumable requires the CREATE_CONSUMABLE permission, and editing an existing one requires EDIT_CONSUMABLE. Because the catalog is shared across your whole account, keeping it clean and consistently named pays off everywhere consumables are referenced.

What a Consumable Records

A Consumable stores a small set of fields. Only a name and a category are required; the rest are optional and exist to help you organize, search, and reorder.

• Name (required) -- the display name of the material, used everywhere the consumable is referenced and searched.
• Category (required) -- a fixed classifier that groups the material by what it is. See Categories below for the full list.
• Vendor -- where you purchase the material, so anyone reordering knows the source.
• Vendor Product Link -- a direct URL to the product page, so reordering is one click away.
• Notes -- any additional information you want to keep with the record.
• USPS Processing Category -- only meaningful for packaging (see USPS Processing Category below).

Categories

Every Consumable belongs to exactly one category. The category is a fixed classifier used for searching and filtering your catalog -- it does not change how the material behaves, only how it is organized. The available categories cover the full range of fulfillment materials, grouped below by what they do.

Boxes, Mailers & Bags

• Carton -- corrugated cardboard boxes.
• Bubble Mailer -- padded envelopes with a bubble-wrap lining for small fragile items.
• Envelope Mailer -- envelopes used to mail documents.
• Polybag -- polymer bags for shipping non-fragile items.

Void Fill & Cushioning

• Air Pillows -- inflatable air cushions used for void fill and protection.
• Bubble Wrap -- air-filled plastic sheeting that cushions fragile items.
• Foam -- foam sheets, rolls, or inserts for cushioning and protection.
• Kraft Paper -- brown paper used for wrapping, cushioning, and void fill.
• Packing Peanuts -- loose-fill or biodegradable void fill.

Tape, Sealing & Securing

• Packing Tape -- adhesive tape used to seal boxes and packages.
• Branded Tape -- custom-printed tape featuring your logo or branding.
• Label Tape -- tape designed for printer labels or labeling applications.
• Tape Dispensers -- handheld or desktop dispensers for packing tape.
• Strapping -- plastic or metal bands that secure heavy packages and pallets.
• Stretch Wrap -- plastic film used to wrap pallets and secure items during shipping.

Labels & Printing

• Shipping Labels -- thermal or adhesive labels for printing shipping information.
• Barcode Labels -- labels with barcode printing for inventory tracking.
• QR Labels -- labels with QR-code printing for tracking and information.
• Printer Ribbons -- ink ribbons for thermal-transfer printers.
• Receipt Paper -- thermal paper rolls for receipts and documentation.

Forms & Documentation

• Packing Slips -- pre-printed or blank packing-slip forms included with shipments.
• Invoice Forms -- invoice forms and documentation for shipments.
• Customs Forms -- customs declaration forms for international shipments.

Equipment & Safety

• Box Cutters -- safety cutters and utility knives for opening packages.
• Batteries -- replacement batteries for scanners, scales, and other equipment.
• Safety Equipment -- personal protective equipment and safety supplies.
• Cleaning Supplies -- products for maintaining warehouse cleanliness.

Other

• Other -- miscellaneous consumables that do not fit another category.

USPS Processing Category

The USPS Processing Category is an optional setting that only applies to packaging -- the consumables that become the actual shipping container, such as cartons, mailers, and polybags. It tells USPS how a piece of mail should be processed, which affects how it is rated. Leaving it blank is fine for any consumable that is not itself a package (tape, void fill, forms, equipment).

• LETTERS -- letter-size mail.
• FLATS -- large envelopes and flat mail.
• MACHINABLE -- parcels that can run through USPS automated processing equipment.
• NON_MACHINABLE -- parcels that require manual handling and cannot be automated.

Connecting Consumables to Items

A Consumable describes a material; Item Consumable Requirements connect that material to the products that use it. A requirement links one Consumable to one product Item and records how it should be used -- which is also what ties a material's consumption to the orders that draw it down:

• Quantity Needed -- how many of the consumable the item requires.
• Is Required -- whether the consumable must be used for that item.
• Is Overridable -- whether a packer may deviate from the requirement when needed.
• Packing Instructions -- free-text guidance shown to the packer for how to use the material.

These requirements surface during fulfillment so your team knows exactly which materials each order needs. See The Packout Flow for how requirements appear to packers at the station.

Permissions

Two permissions gate the Consumables catalog: CREATE_CONSUMABLE to add new materials and EDIT_CONSUMABLE to change existing ones. Grant them through a role so only the team members responsible for your material catalog can modify it.

FAQs

What is the difference between a Consumable and a Saved Package?

A Consumable is an Item -- a material in your catalog, with metadata about its category, vendor, and how to treat it as inventory. A Saved Package is a reusable set of dimensions and weight used when buying a label. Packaging-type consumables are the materials themselves; saved packages are the specific box measurements you rate against.

Do I have to fill in vendor and link fields?

No. Only name and category are required. Vendor, vendor product link, and notes are optional and exist to make reordering and record-keeping easier.

When should I set a USPS Processing Category?

Only on packaging-type consumables that ship via USPS -- cartons, mailers, and polybags. It is ignored for anything that is not itself a shipping container, so leave it blank for tape, void fill, forms, and equipment.

How do consumables actually get used during fulfillment?

Through Item Consumable Requirements. A requirement ties a consumable to an item with a quantity and optional packing instructions, and that information surfaces to packers during the packout flow.

Can I change a consumable's category after creating it?

Yes, with the EDIT_CONSUMABLE permission. The category is a classifier for searching and filtering, so changing it re-groups the material in your catalog without affecting anything else.